Q: I would like to know if it is permissible for my husband to be sitting in a car alone with a strange woman who is sitting right next to him in the front? The thing is I have tried to talk to him about how I feel about this and he got angry with me and said it was for work and nothing else and if I want him to leave work he will leave. I don’t expect him to leave work all I am saying is that I am not comfortable with him sitting all alone with her and his job description is not a driver, he was employed as a fitter and turner and now his boss expects him to travel with this lady to meet clients. My husband even went and bought lunch for himself and her while they were out. I can’t help but fear that satan will influence them. The man I married was so different; he would not even sit in the house alone with my sister or the maid and I loved that but he has now changed. Please advise me as urgently as possible as I can’t seem to talk to him and its eating me up!
A. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) has forbidden a woman from travelling without a Mahram. (As Sunanus Sagheer Bayhaqi V5 P241).
In another Hadeeth he said: Not one of you should be alone with a woman, because Shaytaan becomes a third one with them. (Shu’abul Imaan V4 P374).
Even if the intentions of both the man and woman are ‘clean’, this is still forbidden. The intentions do not count here in this matter. It is clearly mentioned in this Hadeeth that Shaytaan is with them and obviously he will try his utmost to let them get involved with each other. In situations like these, things turn out differently very quickly, without even realising it. Thus it is best to heed the instruction of our beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and protect oneself from such situations.
He should explain to his boss that this is not allowed in his religion. If ever he is forced to transport her, the least is that she should not sit in the front with him but at the back. The lesser of the two evils is for a third person to be with.
Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked by: Mufti Siraj Desai